A fine blend of all things Nuts: Multimedia Collections, Toys, Foods, Concerts, Occasional Petting Zoo Visits, etc.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

The HAMMER Mummy Collection

There have been a number of Mummy franchises over the years but, like the title says, this one is for HAMMER Studios only, of which they made four (1959–1971). The bandages aren't really that frightening, but what they represent is. While they keep the walking corpse from falling to pieces, they also serve as a constant reminder that it's possible to become trapped in an eternal prison/punishment, cursed and unable to progress to the afterlife. The horror the Mummy experiences is equal or greater than what they make us feel. The mixture of mortal fear and sympathy is an odd one that none of the films make the best use of, but that doesn't stop them being entertaining in other ways.

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. The Mummy (1959)
02. The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964)
03. The Mummy's Shroud (1967)
04. Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971)

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Mighty Bright 3'' Super View Magnifier ()


The Go-Busters are the team that means the most to me, and I absolutely had to have something for Enetan, Li-Oh, and Reika, in my display. The Buddyroid and Buddyzord work in a vinyl figure display as they are (as covered below the cut, here), but there will likely never be anything available for Pink Buster. I say likely because Gosei Green did get a Ranger Key, recently! Back to the point, I needed SOMETHING for Reika. I looked to her feature episode for inspiration. I found it in the form of a magnifying glass, as in using one she inadvertently creates Louperoid, a Lupin-inspired Metaroid. I simply went online and searched for one that would suit my needs. I found this instantly. It perfectly matches her suit and was only a few dollars.

It's pretty shit at its intended purpose, though...

3 Special Members It's An Absolute Crime to Exclude out of 5

Monday, February 15, 2016

Super Gosei Pink / Ultra Megaforce Pink Figure (2013)


Eri and Mouné's Super forms were never made as Sentai Hero Vinyls, making this essentially perfect without even trying. Plus, it's my favorite Goseiger, using my favorite power-up in the franchise! Look, I was a Transformers fan, and animal heads BELONG on chests. In the show, the tribal trappings on the shoulder pads grow exponentially to enwrap them entirely, protecting them from harm. Their tenswords augment melee strikes with blasts of energy, are occasionally wielded backhanded or swung like clubs (by Agri and Mouné), and can stretch like Kyouryuu Origami.

This iteration of Eri can be challenging to stand, and you aren't going to get any meaningful leg articulation, but the chances of Goseiger Figuarts are literally zero and I have plenty of other Eri figures to lean this one up against. I took pink and gold Sharpies to the completely unpainted Tensword and you should too.

2020 Update: I chucked the Tensword, and she's been standing like an absolute legend for over a year, because of it. Ii ne~

4 Snow and Yoko-worthy Upgrades out of 5

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Samurai Smash Rangers (2012)


I'm a goddamn sucker for full-team packs of figures. Which, is why I accept the death of Sentai Figuarts in favor of yearly (admittedly exorbitantly priced) premium Ranger Key sets. There's a different chibi/stylized collection out there for Samurai, but it's the main team and a Nanashi Renjyuu/Mooger, instead of Genta/Antonio. I love the Shinkengers' suits because of the prominent in-your-face/on-their-face kanji, and that's exactly what's emphasized here; that's why this is the uniform Shinkenger team on my shelf.

You can swivel their arms and heads, but I don't recommend it. They also, obviously, need their bases to stand, but they're engraved as hiden discs!

5 Easy Answers out of 5

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Goseiger & Go-Busters
Sentai Hero Series 02 & 03 (2010, 2012)


These vinyl figures may only have moveable arms and a waist swivel, but they're only about ¥800 apiece. Up through Shinkenger, they even occasionally came with weapons! Some paint always goes AWOL, but what's on the chopping block is usually chosen well, and the sculpting can sometimes be exquisite. The specifics surrounding these series will highlight a common issue with the line:

All 5 Goseigers* and Gosei Knight are available, and this is usually the norm. One can typically expect each main team and their Sixth(s) to be produced. In Goseiger's case, though, only the boys' Super modes were made. This was unfortunately taken a step farther for Go-Busters, as Hiromu alone got a Powered Custom version, at this scale.**

That said, everyone (outside of Pink Buster) is accounted for at the base level and there's even a Buddyroid series of vinyls.*** Even though gaps sometimes exist, I don't think these should be avoided wholesale. In those instances, they're simply not an option for a complete, matched set. As additional representation of individual characters, however, they're still aces!

The footnotes are located below the cut.

4 (+2) Little Senshi All in a Row out of 5

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Hot Wheels Phoenix Headder / Phoenix Zord (2013)


Eri is one of those characters for which I just want everything I can get my hands on. This was an incredibly nice surprise from BoA, even if it tends to roll away unless I have it butted up against one of her figures. You could argue that's my table's fault, but none of my other cars do it. You can still find these on pegs in drugstores and discount outlets, if you look hard enough. I recently got Alata's for little more than $1!

3 Years Worth of Dust Begging to Be Wiped Away out 5